Service User Survey (2021/22)

A Service User, Family Member and Carer Involvement survey was carried out in late 2021; Open Road received 93 responses.  Below is the percentage breakdown of responses:

Essex drug services – 77%

Medway Community Services  – 24%

Overview

The perception of Open Road by its beneficiaries is positive overall,

You think our speed of response is good (64% very good, 30% ok); you feel welcomed and respected by staff at Open Road; (86% very good, 14% ok) and you found  our description of services matches the service received (74% very good, 21% ok).

You found Open Road good at involving people in decisions about their care, support and treatment (76% very good, 20% ok) and you felt you were getting the support and guidance you needed to achieve recovery (70% very good, 24% ok) and 99% feel that Open Road acts in their best interest. Generally the service is quick to respond with only 3% having to wait over a month from assessment to start of treatment and 50% starting treatment in less than a week.

55% of you were not aware of the Complaints and Suggestions Procedure and your rights and responsibilities as a service user.

Please see below Summary of the response

Overview of service users written feedback to the following questions:

Can you tell us how you found online and/or phone support? Do you prefer/dislike it?

• We received 53 comments
• Many of the service user found phone support really helpful
• 30% of response stated they preferred face to face
• 50% of response like a blend of both phone and face to face

“I like online and phone support but I want more face to face to get me out of the house and socialising with people wanted to change to. Doing everything can be lonely”

“I like email/speaking to keyworker over the phone, but I also really like face to face meetings.  I like making the effort to come in and meeting with my key worker properly.”

“I do feel it’s not as personal over the phone, but during Covid, it helped knowing Open Road were there to support me still”

“I struggle to attend the centre due to ill health and phone support helps me more”

What are the 3 things about your treatment and the service you use that have benefited you the most?

• We received 80 written responses
• Key themes
  • Non judgemental and helpful service and staff
  • Outreach services are good
  • Supportive keyworkers

“Helped me realise I don’t need to rely solely on drugs no more… my reasons for using”

“being seem at Braintree outreach is much better as I don’t have to travel to Chelmsford”

“Everything about treatment/services”

“Mother and baby group – very helpful”

“Regular phone called to check up, helps you open up to keyworker”

“Sent info on meetings”

“Really getting on at Open Road, I have started the Naloxone group and also all the group work”

“Currently clean”

“Helped me understand people more, and helped me engage better with professionals”

“Connecting with other people in recovery”

“Keyworker helps you keep calm and focused”

Seen as a human being” “having worker who listen to me”

“Kindness”  “not feeling judged”

“The workbooks given to me” 

Help us, help you! Tell us 3 things that we could do to improve our services?

• We received 63 written responses
• Key themes
  • More group sessions
  • Nothing – happy with the service
  • More out of hour services – Saturdays and evening
  • Waiting times between assessment and treatment (scripting)

“Some sort of course or support plan for when I eventually come off my methadone – I am looking forward to coming off it but feel there may be some emotional struggles and it would be good to have some sort of aftercare”

“more face to face but understand Covid restrictions”

“shorter gap between assessment and prescribing”  “talk to each other more within Open Road”

“offer more counselling services”  “not told when case worker left”  “more outdoor activities”

“group session”   “longer hours”  “online groups, not just about recovery, maybe things about confidence”

“Computer for us to learn on”   “let us back in!” “I feel I would benefit from attending face to face groups”

What do you think we should do more off?

• We received 64 written responses
• Key themes:
  • Happy with the current services and no suggestions
  • More out of hour services
  • More groups
  • Outdoor activities

“I would like to volunteering opportunities as I would like to volunteer here”  “Try and keep keyworkers longer”

“I think it is quite good really, give good information”  “evening groups, online chat”  “more activities we could all take part in” 

“Cups of tea and coffee”  “pay for travel”  “more outdoor activities” 

“groups, providing education information in the format of groups / presentations. Offering groups specifically for each substance”

  “more activities we could all take part in”  “food parcels like you give at Christmas” 

“more ways and avenues to got to help with rehab”

What is the best way for you to tell us what you loke and what you would like to  change? (e.g., suggestion box, online suggestions, direct to support workers, in a meeting or any other way)

• We received 84 written response
• Key themes:
  • Direct to worker – 70% of the response felt the best way to feedback on services was through there worker
  • Suggestion box
  • online